Package



Dec. 13, 1949 SNYDER 2,491,423

PACKAGE Filed Sept. 20, 1947 BY $7M l/JM A TTIORNEYS.

Patented D... 13, 1949 PACKAGE James E. Snyder, Akron, Ohio, assignor toWingfoot Corporation, Akron, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware ApplicationSeptember 20, 1947, Serial No. 775,271 .6' Claims.. (c1. 99-171) Thisinvention relates to an improved package for resiliently supporting aplurality of objects in openings in a sheet of cardboard orthe like.

the objects being individually enclosed in and supported by athermo-stretchable' film which is stretched over them.

In the preferred form of the invention a film which is boththeme-stretchable and thermo sealable is employed. The cardboard or thelike' is covered with the film and folded over at the openings and inthe referred form of the invention the cardboard is folded with the filmon the inner surface so that the film-covered surfaces of the cardboardmay be brought together and thermally sealed to one another around theobjects to be packaged.

The invention is particularly adapted for the packaging of fruits andvegetables such as oranges, apples, heads of lettuce, etc. Although thematerials packaged are preferably unitary objects, bunches of spinach,carrots, etc. may be packaged as units.

The film employed is preferably rubber hydrochloride film, althoughother thermo-stretchable film may be employed, and the film may bethermo-sealable as well as thermo-stretchable. Films which may beemployed include those made of polyethylene, copolymer of vinyl chlorideand vinylidene chloride, etc.

The invention will be further described in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which v Fig. 1 is a flat view of the cardboardor the like which is employed;

- Fig. 2 is an end view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a fiat view of the film-covered cardboard; I

Fig. 4 is an end view of the same;

Fig. 5 is a flat view of the finished package; and

Fig. 6 is an end view of the same.

In carrying out the invention, tiers of elongated holes are provided inthe cardboard and the cardboard is folded at the centerline of eachtier. Although only two tiers of holes are illustrated in the drawings,it is obvious that the number of rows may be more or less than thatshown.

In the preferred form of the invention, elongated holes I are cut in thecardboard 2 and these holes are arranged in two rows, each spaced fromthe end of the cardboard about one-fourth of its width.

. the top of the cardboard to facilitate carryin the finished package.

Fig. 3 shows the same board with the front face covered by rubberhydrochloride film 6. The film is heated in any suitable manner. Whenthe film has reached atemperature of about 190 C. (or

any other temperature at which the film becomes stretchable, andpreferably heat-sealable also), the objectsto be packaged are placed onthe film, one object being placed at each of the openings.

With the objects in place over the holes, the

\ two ends of the cardboard 8 and 9 are folded inwardly along the scoredlines 3 and l. The film is stretched around the objects so that theobjects are supported at the openings by the stretched film. The filmadjoining that stretched around The cardboard is scored at I and I, at,about I the centerline of each row of holes in order to facilitatefolding. A handhole E is provided at the objects is pressed togetherwith sufllcient force to seal the contacting surfaces. Thus, thefinished package shown in Figs. 5 and 6 comprises a single cardboardsheet with a handhole 5 which supports a half dozen oranges or apples,etc., designated by the reference numeral III.

Rubber hydrochloride film is preferred for such packaging operationsbecause once it has been heated it retains its ability to bestretched-and sealed for a considerable period after it has cooled toroom temperature. Thus, if the film used is rubber hydrochloride film,after heating, it may be allowed to cool before completing the package,but with other films it will be necessary to complete the stretchingwhile the film is still at the temperature required for stretching, andif the package is to be heat-sealed it must also be sealed while hot.

The package provides an easy means for the housewife to carry herpurchases from the store to her home and furthermore, preserves thevari-- ous objects in sealed pockets up to the time of use.

Many modifications in the preferred design shown in the drawings arepossible. Thus, instead of heat-sealing contacting surfaces of the filmtogether to hold the cardboard sheets to one another, the overlappingportions of the cardboard may be stapled or fastened in any suitablemanner. In this event, the film may be on the outer surface of thecardboard instead of the inner surface as illustrated. Cardboard,chipboard, paperboard and the like are the equivalent of one another sofar as their use as the carrier board of this invention is concerned.

What I claim is:

1. A package for fruits or vegetables formed of a still sheet withelongated openings therein so that a straight line passed therethroughthermo-stretchabie film over each opening, the

still sheet being doubled over at said line and held. together thus withat least one fruit or vegetable at each opening supported by the fihnstretched thereover.

2. A package for fruits or vegetables, formed of a single piece of stiffsheet material, one surface of the sheet being covered withthermo-stretchable thermo-sealable film, the stiff sheet being formedwith two vertical rows of openings, each of the openings beinghorizontally elongated, each end of the stiff sheet being foldedinwardly upon itself at about the centerline of each row of openings,the film-covered surfaces of the stiff sheet being thus broughttogether, the film at each opening being stretched over at least onefruit or vegetable which is thus supported in the opening, and thecontacting surfaces of the film between the openings being coalesced toone another.

3. A package for a plurality of fruits or vegetables, formed of a singlepiece of stiff sheet material with one surface covered with rubberhydro,

chloride film, two vertical rows of horizontal elongated openings in thestill sheet, each spaced from opposite ends of the still sheet aboutone-fourth the width of the stiff sheet each end of the cardboard beingdoubled over at about the centerline of each row of openings to bringthe filmcovered portions of the stiff sheet together, portions ofthefilm thus brought together being welded to one another, at least onefruit or vegetable being located at each of the openings and beingcovered by the film which is stretched over the fruit or vegetable so asto support it in the opening, and a handhole through the stiff sheet forconvenience in carrying.

4. The method of packaging a plurality of fruits or -.vegetables-iu astill sheet with a row of elongated "openings therein, one surface ofthe cardboard being covered with thermo-stretchable film,which'comprises-heating the film, and plac- 4 of the openings, anddoubling the stiff sheet over along about the centerline of the openingsand thus stretching the film over the fruits or vegetables, and thenfastening the folded portions of the still sheet in this doubled-overrelation.

5. The method of packaging a plurality of fruits or vegetables in astill! sheet with two rows of elongated holes located at about equaldistances from opposite ends of the sheet, one surface of the sheetbeing covered with rubber hydrochloride film, which comprises heatingthe film, then placing the fruits or vegetables on the film at theseveral openings, and then folding the ends of the stiff sheet inwardlyalong lines which are about the centerlines of the rows of openings andthus stretching the film over the fruits or vegetables and pressing thefilm-covered surfaces together to heat-seal them to one another.

6. The method of packaging which comprises placing fruit or vegetable tobe packaged on thermo-stretchable film placed over an elongated openingin a stiff sheet. and then'while the film is stretchable, doubling thestiff sheet over along a line which passes through the longer sides ofthe opening and thereby both stretching the film I over the fruit orvegetable to be packaged and enclosing the fruit or vegetable in apocket thus formed in the film.

JAMES E. SNYDER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

' STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES Plastics Worl March 1947, page 14,Article entitled "Hammock Fruit Packing."

"The ABC's of Pliofilm Packaging published in the Goodyear News Service,pages 1 to 4, re-

ing at least one fruit or vegetable thereon at each 45 ceived in U. 8.Patent Office, May 1, 1947.

iitent No. 2,491,423

It is hereby same may conform to the record 0 Certificate of CorrectionDecember 13, 1949 JAMES E. SNYDER certified that error appears in theprinted specification of the above numbered patent requiring correctionas follows:

7 1 Column 3, lines 2 9 and 30, for'the Word cardboard read stifi sheet;

" and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correctiontherein that the f the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 25th day of July, A. D. 1950.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Commissioner of Patents.

